"Storybook Love"
A Harry Potter / The Princess Bride crossover fic featuring MWPP
By Frog-Princess, a. k. a. Emily
(ginny@darkcastle.com)
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the Princess Bride; they are both copyright their respective owners and no infringement is intended. I have borrowed characters, elements, and plot, but none of it is claimed to be mine as it's just a fanfic! =)
A/N: Once again, this is just something I was working on to ease a bit of writer's block... it's silly really ^^; This chapter is a bit close to the film...
Storybook Love - Part II
"Just let me explain!" James took another step forward. Slowly... slowly...
"Stop, sir!" cried Peter, realizing what James was doing. "One more step and the girl dies!" His wand was pointed straight at Lily, touching the bare skin by her neck, and she cried out in fear. James instantly froze once more.
"Don't hurt her," James pleaded. "Perhaps an arrangement can be reached."
"There will be no arrangements!" squeaked Peter.
James was doing a bit more quick thinking. "I challenge you," he shouted before Peter could protest, "to a battle of wits! You look like a smart man... then again, what's the use - I can see you're too scared of losing to me to accept anyway." He pretended he was about to turn around and walk away, but Peter stopped him.
"I accept," he spat. James grinned. "Alright, then. Pour the wine." Peter did so, and James removed a small drawstring pouch from the inside of his robes. He loosened the string slightly. "Inhale this," he said, holding it before Peter, "but do not touch."
Peter narrowed his eyes again in suspicion, and though he bent forward slightly, he never took his eyes off James. "I smell nothing."
"What you do not smell is a potion of my own creation," replied James. "Its contents have been crushed into a fine powder that dissolves instantly in liquid. Though it has no scent or taste, it is among the more deadly potions." He took the two wine-filled goblets before him and turned his back so Peter couldn't see. "Your task is to find out which goblet contains my deadly potion. When you have made your decision, we will drink, and find out who is right and who is - well, dead."
Peter anxiously nodded. "But... i-it's so simple," he stuttered. "I can tell where the potion is just from what I know about you. Are you the sort who would poison his own goblet with a deadly potion in the hopes I would choose the goblet in front of you? Or, are you the sort that would depend on my being a great fool, and choosing the wine in front of me?"
James waited silently, admiring Peter's logic.
"B-But... I am not a great fool," Peter said, reminding himself. "So I cannot choose the wine in front of me."
"Truly," said James, "you have a dizzying intellect."
"You could've put the potion in your own goblet, trusting on your strength to save you. But you've gotten this far, which means you're clever... so you must have learned how stupid it would be to poison your own goblet with such a deadly potion, therefore you would have put it as far from yourself as possible... Oh!" - and he gave a great, exaggerated gasp, pointing behind James - "What on earth could THAT be!?"
James spun around. "What? Where?"
He head a soft, almost malicious chuckle as he turned around to face Peter again. "What's so funny?" asked James. "Oh, nothing. Let us drink, me from my goblet... and you from yours."
James lifted his goblet to his lips and drank deeply from it. Peter did the same. When he finished, he smirked at Peter. "You guessed wrong."
"No," laughed Peter, "you only think I did! But I switched the goblets when your back was turned - that's what's so funny! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders - never go in against a servant of Voldemort!" Peter began to laugh hysterically. "Ahahahaha! Ahahahahahaha! Haha--"
He stopped, and fell over dead.
James' immediate reaction was to reach forward and remove the blindfold from the girl. She studied him as he untied her bounds, and his heart sank as she did not recognize him. He thought of taking off his mask - but no, it would have to wait.
"Who are you?" Lily asked, but James did not answer. He only gazed deep into her eyes for a moment before untying the ropes around her ankles.
"There has been another fight," the prince snarled as he and his subjects sat atop their horses, studying the ground. "Yes, there are all the basic signs of a struggle. He had a large amount of greasy black hair that hung down to his shoulders, and a rather large nose.
"But she was alive one hour ago, Count Lucius," he continued, addressing the man nearest to him. This man had silver-blond hair and pale, icy blue eyes. "And if she is otherwise when we find her, I shall be very put-out." He brought his horse to a gallop as he led the others down the way Lily had been taken, his robes billowing behind him in the wind.
"Catch your breath," said James to the princess. Lily stumbled over to a large rock nearby and sat down, breathing rapidly.
"Please," she gasped. "Just let me go. Whatever ransom you ask for, you'll get it, I promise you." James only laughed at this. "The promise of a woman? That's funny. You're funny, Highness."
Lily fought back her anger. "Well, it doesn't matter anyway. Prince Severus is an excellent tracker. He knows better than anyone how to tell where magic has been used, and he also knows a great deal about potions. It's only going to be a matter of time before he comes for me."
James scowled. "Even your dearest love won't save you now."
"I never said I loved him!" Lily said shrilly.
James raised an eyebrow at this, though Lily couldn't tell because his face was still partially covered by the mask he wore. "You don't love your fiance?" he asked, intrigued. "Aren't capable of love, you mean."
"I have loved more deeply than you could ever dream," Lily whispered.
James approached her, raising his wand. Lily turned away, but James stopped before muttering any curses. "That was a warning," he said. "Next time my wand flies on its own."
There was silence for what seemed to be a long time, though Lily could not see what the man in black was doing. She had her back turned, and sat on the rock, contemplating possible identities of the man. Then it hit her.
"I know who you are," she said, turning to look at him. "It couldn't be more obvious. You're a Death Eater."
James only shrugged. "I might be."
"Then it was you who killed my love!"
"Well, it's possible. I killed a lot of people in my time. Describe this love of yours. Was he like the Prince, too - rich? Ugly?"
"No," Lily interrupted. "He was poor. Poor, but perfect. And you took his life." Tears were now forming in the corners of her eyes. She started to turn away again, but the man spoke up.
"This would be about what... five years ago?"
Lily nodded sadly.
"I remember this boy, this 'love' of yours I think. I hope it doesn't bother you to hear. He died well - no last-minute attempts at bribery. He simply pleaded with me to let him live, for he had to return to his true love." He spoke in such a bitter tone that Lily was startled. "True love he spoke of, Highness, and he told me of your breathtaking beauty and enduring faithfulness. It's a good thing I got rid of him before he could find out what you really are."
"And what am I?" Lily asked.
"Tell me, when you found out he had been killed by a servant of Lord Voldemort, did you get engaged to his only mortal enemy that very day, or did you wait an entire week in mourning?"
Lily stood up, her face just inches from James'. "Never mock me again!" she cried, shaking her head and glaring up at him defiantly. "When they told me James was slaughtered by a Death Eater... I died that day."
James was taken aback.
"You can die too, for all I care," she said, and with one great shove, she pushed James over the side of the steep, grassy hill. "As...you...wish..."
Lily's expression changed with sudden painful realization. As you wish? "James!" she screamed. "Oh, my darling James - what have I done?" She began to run after him, but tripped on the edge of her long gown and she, too, went tumbling down the hill.
"Ow - oof!" said James as he rolled down the hill.
"Ouch!" screamed Lily. "Ow... oh!"
When they both stopped at the bottom of the hill, James crawled over to Lily. His mask had fallen off. "Can you move at all?" he asked wearily.
"Move?" Lily repeated. "You're alive! If you want, I could fly." She sat up and threw her arms around James, so happy that she was once again on the verge of tears.
"I told you I would always come for you," said James. "Lily, why didn't you wait for me?"
"I waited five years," said Lily. "...You were dead, James."
"Even death cannot stop true love... all it can do is delay it for a while." James gently stroked the side of Lily's face, drying the tears that were beginning to slide down her cheek. "I will never doubt again," she said.
James smiled and replied, "There will never be a need." They leaned close to share their first kiss in five years.
